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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24936259">constant craving</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bisexualhotchner/pseuds/bisexualhotchner'>bisexualhotchner</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anal Sex, Angst, Bottom Aomine Daiki, Bug Boy Aomine, Car Accidents, Crack, Domestic, Drabble Collection, Established Relationship, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Internalized Homophobia, Just slightly, Kagami is afraid of dogs, Kagami is gay "as a basket of frogs", Kise is a bastard when he's drunk, M/M, Morning Kisses, Nightmares, One-Sided Attraction, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Polyamory, Possessive Behavior, References to Depression, Serious Injuries, Threesome - M/M/M, crybaby kise, domestic husbands, for the haikise</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:28:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,273</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24936259</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bisexualhotchner/pseuds/bisexualhotchner</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of Tumblr prompts I wrote for the boys.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aomine Daiki/Kagami Taiga, Aomine Daiki/Kagami Taiga/Kuroko Tetsuya, Aomine Daiki/Kise Ryouta, Haizaki Shougo/Kise Ryouta, Kise Ryouta/Kuroko Tetsuya, Midorima Shintarou/Takao Kazunari</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>86</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. AoKaga + 'Can we get a dog?'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Oi, <em>Kaaa</em>gami.’ Aomine drawled, raising his voice above Kagami’s music blasting from the small portable on the kitchen counter. Kagami’s hand shot out instinctively to lower the volume, turning the lid onto the frying pan on the burner and coming out from behind the counter to approach his boyfriend currently swinging his legs on the couch, laying on his stomach.</p><p> </p><p>‘Wassup?’ Kagami leaned on his elbow on the back of the couch, noticing Aomine’s phone in his hands. He looked over his shoulder to look at the screen Aomine was shoving in his direction: it was a picture of Momoi playing with Nigou, a slightly disgruntled expression on his expressionless dog-face.</p><p> </p><p>‘Lookit’.’ Aomine mumbled, groaning when he had to twist himself to hand it over to him. Upon further inspection, Kagami noticed that the picture was uploaded on Kuroko’s Instagram account, and he smiled as he double-tapped on it in Aomine’s stead.</p><p> </p><p>‘Cute. I didn’t know Kuroko used Instagram.’ he said as he dropped the phone back in front of Aomine.</p><p> </p><p>‘Yeah. He only ever uses it to spam Satsuki or his dog.’ Aomine turned around where he laid, throwing his legs across the armrest and letting them dangle loosely above the floor. ‘Hey, <strong>can we get a dog?</strong>’</p><p> </p><p>Kagami sputtered, almost choking on his own saliva. ‘What?!’</p><p> </p><p>‘Geez, you fucking spat on me. Gross, dude.’</p><p> </p><p>‘What do you <em>mean </em>you want a dog?’</p><p> </p><p>‘It means I want a dog.’ Aomine rolled his eyes at him, lifting his phone up to his eye level to continue scrolling like he didn’t just give Kagami the biggest scare of his entire life. ‘I like dogs, and Kuroko won’t let me watch Nigou. He says I’m irresponsible.’</p><p> </p><p>‘You are irresponsible.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Fuck you.’</p><p> </p><p>‘You don’t do shit around the house, you don’t know how to cook or take care of yourself and if it wasn’t for the scholarship, you’d drop out of college in a heartbeat.’ Kagami reminded him, watching with barely masked satisfaction as Aomine’s annoyance became more and more visible with each item on his list titled “how to remind my boyfriend he’s just a little useless”.</p><p> </p><p>‘Would you let me get a dog if I washed the dishes and did the laundry for once?’</p><p> </p><p>Kagami tapped on his chin thoughtfully, waiting with his answer until Aomine’s expression turned hopeful, ‘No.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Asshole.’</p><p> </p><p>‘One-time occurrences don’t make you suddenly capable, idiot.’ Kagami gently bumped his fist against Aomine’s temple. ‘You’re talking about a living-breathing animal with needs.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Besides, I’m scared of dogs.’</p><p> </p><p>‘That’s kinda common knowledge.’ Aomine grumbled, turning his head to look at Kagami hovering over him. His eyes were dark, intent as he studied him, phone dropped and forgotten on his chest.</p><p> </p><p>‘Then you would just let it torment me for the rest of its life?’</p><p> </p><p>‘For sure.’ he hummed, grinning when it was Kagami’s turn to frown. He reached up, stroking a few strands of course, red hair behind Kagami’s ear and scratching his skin. ‘Well, I don’t care. Who needs a dog when I got a <em>Tiger </em>at home?’</p><p> </p><p>‘Ugh, grow up already.’ Kagami tried to keep a straight face, but he soon broke out in a giggle, the tips of Aomine’s fingers rather tickling him. His stupid joke wasn’t much help either.</p><p> </p><p>‘There, there.’ Aomine murmured, sitting up and kissing his smiling mouth. ‘So, is dinner ready yet?’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. AoKaga + 'What a nerd.'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kagami’s feet left the ground easily, and suddenly, he was soaring with a ball in his hand. The hoop hit the inside of his forearm as he forced the ball through it with vigor, grinning while holding onto the circle of iron just a few seconds longer while the ball bounced down and away on the concrete, his body finally coming back down with a loud thud.</p><p> </p><p>‘Aominecchi, Kagamicchi dunked on me again!’ Kise whined from where he fell down on the ground from the sudden attack. Kagami quickly wiped the rust and the blistered, old paint in his shorts before running up to Kuroko with his palm up, smiling like he just won the lottery.</p><p> </p><p>‘Nice pass, Kuroko.’ he exclaimed, grinning wider when his partner’s smaller hand collided with his in a high-five.</p><p> </p><p>‘Kagami dunked on you because you didn’t even try, dumbass.’ Aomine groaned, pulling Kise up unenthusiastically. ‘Seriously, you call that guarding?’</p><p> </p><p>‘Aominecchi, you’re so mean! Why aren’t you guarding Kagamicchi anyway?’</p><p> </p><p>‘Because we’d just end up making out, I thought we settled this.’ he shrugged.</p><p> </p><p>‘Hey, do you want to shut up?’ Kagami barked with a blush spreading high on his cheek. Aomine just blew him a kiss mockingly.</p><p> </p><p>‘You really did underwhelm us with your performance there, Ryouta.’ Akashi said quietly, causing Kise to wince and take a step back, expecting a thorough and painful scolding from him. ‘But I think it’s due to how long we’ve been playing without any breaks. Not many of us have the kind of stamina Daiki and Taiga have, so what do you think about a time-out?’</p><p> </p><p>‘I very much support the idea.’ Kuroko spoke up, strangely, for first. It didn’t actually come as a surprise given how short of breath he was.</p><p> </p><p>‘If Tetsu’s in I’m in.’ Aomine agreed, sending a soft and careful glance over to his former shadow.</p><p> </p><p>‘It’s been settled.’ Midorima declared with a self-important fixing of his glasses. ‘May I propose a member change? I’m getting annoyed with how these people don’t let me shoot the ball.’</p><p> </p><p>‘What the hell do you mean “these people”?’ Kagami frowned.</p><p> </p><p>‘Ah. Troublesome.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Are we troublesome?!’</p><p> </p><p>‘No, look.’ Midorima pointed at his bunched-up cardigan on the top of his bag, his nose scrunched up in disgust. Kagami inched closer to look at the big black spot on top of it, buzzing anxiously while appearing to be stuck in the folds.</p><p> </p><p>‘Ew, what is that?’ Kise yelled, jumping back from the bench. Aomine, in contrast, walked over with awe in his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>‘Oh, it’s a rhino beetle!’ he stated, looking seriously amused. Kagami blinked at him in surprise, watching as he circled the bug in his huge hands and tried to disentangle it as tenderly as he could. ‘He must’ve fallen off a tree or something. You’re a little lost there, huh?’</p><p>
  
</p><p><strong>‘What a nerd.’</strong> Kagami grinned at him as Aomine straightened up, cradling the intimidating-looking beetle in his hands.</p><p> </p><p>‘Not a nerd, just a real Japanese person to know most endemic species. Unlike some, I’m not some faux Asian who’s actually a Yankee.’</p><p> </p><p>‘I was born and raised here myself!’</p><p> </p><p>Aomine rolled his eyes at him, like he was saying <em>anyway</em>. ‘Kise, come here for a sec?’</p><p> </p><p>‘There’s no way I'm letting you come close with that- <em>AOMINECCHI!!!!</em>’</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. AoKaga + 'Mine. Only mine.'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A shudder rippled through Aomine, his knees sliding across Kagami’s silken sheets and threatening to give out under him. A moan reverberated from the walls, high, keening and needy, and he realized with only mild horror that it was <em>his</em>.</p><p> </p><p>‘Fuck, it’s only the tip.’ Kagami gasped from behind him, breathing hot air against Aomine’s already heated skin on his shoulder blade. He leaned his forehead on Aomine’s shoulder, putting way too much of his weight on him as he supported himself by his head to reposition behind Aomine, slipping an inch or two deeper as he did so.</p><p> </p><p>‘Don’t-’ Aomine rasped, his fingers clenched around one corner of Kagami’s blanket. ‘-give me that “it’s just the tip” shit. No fucking way you’re that big.’</p><p> </p><p>Kagami laughed breathlessly, and Aomine recognized the traces of embarrassment in the sound. Or more like, in the way he nuzzled his face against his back, kind of shaking it in disbelief. ‘You don’t believe me?’</p><p> </p><p>‘I never believe you. You’re full of shit.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Then,’ Kagami murmured, kissing the top of Aomine’s spine where it was jutting out as he hung his head low, trying to hide. ‘I guess I’ll just have to prove you wrong.’</p><p> </p><p>With that, he leaned back a little, grabbing Aomine’s hips with a bruising grip and rolling his hips deep and slow into him, releasing a loud exhale. Aomine felt as if his entire body tightened, his muscles clenching and pulling as he arched his back, another shameless sound escaping his throat.</p><p> </p><p>‘Fuck...’ he groaned, falling back down on the bed and shoving his forearm in his mouth, adamant on muffling his moans somehow.</p><p> </p><p>‘Hey, come on. It’s just us.’ Kagami whispered, setting a rhythm with a few slow, shallow trusts, letting him feel it, the way he stretched him out, took him apart. ‘Let me hear you.’</p><p> </p><p>Aomine shook his head wildly enough to make him just a little dizzy. He was already overwhelmed, his senses heightened and nerves wrung in a way nothing else ever really made them.</p><p> </p><p>Kagami reached down, gently smoothing down Aomine’s messy hair, and then he was making a fist and grabbing his hair, ever-so-slowly, making him feel every twitch of his fingers, the transition from gentle to demanding sending shivers down his spine.</p><p> </p><p>‘Give me.’ Kagami demanded, and Aomine contemplated resisting, he really did - he still had some fight in him, but he knew Kagami wasn’t above yanking his hair, and he was comfortable enough to not let it be disrupted by some pain in his scalp and neck.</p><p> </p><p>He released his arm, breathing heavily against the wet and bitten skin, hissing and groaning as Kagami’s hips picked up the pace, a fist remaining in his hair. Aomine felt the tingling of the slow tugs, caused only by Kagami’s movements being conducted into his body in opposition to how his hand was still on his head.</p><p> </p><p>Kagami shifted his hips a little, hitting Aomine’s prostate dead on with the new angle, making him writhe and cry out in shock, pleasure flaring up the entire length of his spine. Kagami’s own breath was picking up as he brought his hand back to Aomine’s waist so he could reach around him with the other to pump his cock.</p><p> </p><p>‘You’re<strong> mine. Only mine.</strong>’ Kagami grunted, driving into him with way more force than rhythm or technique, just a little crazed, just a little wild. That was all it took to tip Aomine over; he came with a shout, his body twisting and instinctively trying to get away from the overstimulation as Kagami kept thumbing the head of his dick, kept driving into him with full force.</p><p> </p><p>‘Fuck, fuck, <em>fuck</em>-’ he gasped, his eyes rolling back into his skull as Kagami leaned into him with his entire weight, coming so deep that Aomine thought he could taste it.</p><p> </p><p>They collapsed on each other, Kagami more so than him, the crushing weight a huge anchor for Aomine’s body that suddenly felt very light and airy. He chuckled, butting his head against Kagami’s.</p><p> </p><p>‘Still here?’ he mumbled, aiming for Kagami’s temple but kissing his ear instead. Kagami snorted gracelessly.</p><p> </p><p>‘No. Fuck off. This was amazing.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Why are you telling me to fuck off, then?’ Aomine laughed, shuffling and struggling to turn just so he could wrap an arm around Kagami. He winced when he felt him slip out of his ass. ‘What about that possessive crap?’</p><p> </p><p>Kagami cracked an eye open at him, shrugging his shoulders and then stretching out, laying out the entire length of the bed beside him, looking good enough to eat with his unkempt hair and lazy grin. ‘Not possessive, just stating the obvious.’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. KiseKuro + 'Exactly how drunk was I?'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sunlight came through the crack between Kuroko's curtains, unfairly powerful and blinding and eliciting a wave of nausea and a groan of complaint from Kise, who was directly hit in the face with it. He turned on the bed, burying his face in the cooling, naked skin in between Kuroko's shoulder blades.</p><p> </p><p>He honestly didn't feel great. As he moved, he felt a pang of pain just below his ribs, his limbs heavy and hard to move, his mouth feeling like he'd gargled with a mix of sand, vodka, and whatever he'd eaten the day before.</p><p> </p><p>'Kurokocchi.' he groaned. Even speaking hurt.</p><p> </p><p>'Good morning, Kise-kun.' As always when he was in a good mood, Kuroko was quietly cheerful.</p><p> </p><p>'Will ya kill the lights?'</p><p> </p><p>'The lights are off, and I may not have the capability to kill the sun for you, if that's what you're talking about.' A low chuckle rattled Kuroko's torso, and Kise was unable to hold back a small smile from making his normally calm and collected boyfriend laugh so unexpectedly. He pressed a few lazy kisses on his pale skin, inhaling his scent.</p><p> </p><p>'Do you even love me, then?' he joked, wrapping his arms around Kuroko's middle and shuffling further up the bed so he could push his nose into the fair hairs on the nape of Kuroko's neck.</p><p> </p><p>'I love you plenty, I just don't yet have the resources to do so.' Kuroko replied, sounding serious, but those who really knew him were aware of how he used this voice to speak nonsense, too. 'Perhaps if you'd let me contact Akashi-kun, he could provide me with some political connections. Although I doubt he would aid in helping you.'</p><p> </p><p>'Eh? Why not?' Kise raised his head a little, blinking down at the side of Kuroko's face.</p><p> </p><p>'You um.' Kuroko stalled - Kuroko <em>never </em>stalled before. ‘You might have called him a few names he didn’t quite like. And you also urinated on his mother’s begonias and told him that’s what you actually think of him.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Oh my God.’ Kise yelped, releasing Kuroko with one arm so he could hide his face in his palm. <strong>‘Exactly how drunk was I?’</strong></p><p> </p><p>‘You flirted with Kagami-kun.’</p><p> </p><p>‘I flirt with him sober.’</p><p> </p><p>‘You sat on his lap.’ Kuroko frowned, making him grimace. He’s never been that shameless with Kagamicchi before. ‘You were also trying your luck with Aomine-kun, but I doubt that was successful. I didn’t really catch what you’ve been saying to each other because I was at the other end of the backyard taking care of Momoi-san, but at one point he punched you in the gut, and when I came to fetch you, you were crying into his shoulder and he was drunkenly trying to console you. It was very sweet.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Did I do anything else?’ Kise asked uncharacteristically shyly. To be honest, he’s been humbled by his drunk self’s actions, feeling shame all over his body like a physical reaction.</p><p> </p><p>‘Aside from harmless things like declaring Momoi-san to be your best friend and momentarily stealing Midorima-kun’s glasses, I don’t recall.’ Kuroko turned in his embrace, offering him a slight smile. The folds of his pillowcase were imprinted on his cheek. <em>So cute...</em> ‘You also flirted with me, which was endearing.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Endearing?’</p><p> </p><p>‘You started to cry again when I told you I’m in a relationship.’ his smile widened, brushing a few stray strands of blond hair back from Kise’s face. ‘I felt like I was more important to you than anyone else you’ve tried to seduce, since you didn’t take their rejection to the heart quite like mine.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Y-you are more important to me!’ Kise declared, pushing himself up on one elbow. ‘I’m sorry if I made you feel like you’re not. I really do love you, Kurokocchi, whoever my drunk self flirts with.’</p><p> </p><p>‘I’m not jealous, Kise-kun.’ Kuroko tipped his head to the side, his expression adorably focused. ‘If I were, I wouldn’t bear to go out with a model like you, who’s lusted over everywhere they go.’</p><p> </p><p>Kise swallowed around the lump in his throat, his eyes searching for any trace of dishonesty on Kuroko’s genuine face. When he failed to find any, he leaned back down on the bed, his cheeks flushed and feeling hot.</p><p> </p><p>‘Do you have some gum?’ he asked, momentarily chewing on his lower lip before he stopped himself.</p><p> </p><p>‘I think I do, why?’</p><p> </p><p>‘I really want to kiss you right now, and I’m afraid of my disgusting breath.’ Kise mumbled, looking away from Kuroko’s huge, soulful eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Kuroko smiled, planting his palms against Kise’s chest and reaching up to his face.</p><p> </p><p>‘I’m not.’ he whispered, closing the distance. Kise closed his eyes, his breath shuddering against Kuroko’s lips as he pushed his fingers into his silky blue hair, stroking, pushing himself against him.</p><p> </p><p>‘I take it back.’ Kuroko sighed, pulling away. ‘It’s pretty disgusting, indeed.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Kurokocchi, say that when I warned you!’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. AoKaga (& KiseKuro) + 'You look so hot I could fuck you senseless right now.'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn’t often that a man’s best friend was getting married. Especially not that he was getting married to one of your other best friends, and especially, that your spouse was also best of friends with both of them.</p><p> </p><p>It’s been a situation, ever since Kise got down on one knee in front of Kuroko and got himself a heart attack in the form of Kuroko’s dry humor. Kagami didn’t hear all the details - Aomine did, and he randomly burst out laughing in the middle of the day for a whole week after the engagement, muttering under his breath <em>‘Fucking hell, Tetsu.’</em></p><p> </p><p>And when he didn’t snicker about Kuroko messing with Kise when he proposed, he fought with Kagami on being Kuroko’s best man. The debate got a little out of hand, and when Kuroko learned that Aomine had been threatening to break up over it, he decided to just name Momoi as his best woman and have Nigou bring the rings to him at the altar. Case close, argument settled, and Kuroko never learned that they had been threatening to break up over leftovers in the past. It really wasn’t that big of a deal.</p><p> </p><p>Except that it was - <em>it really was a big deal</em>. Aomine’s washed up nicely, with his unkempt dark hair brushed to the side and matted down carefully, the light grey suit Kise’s got him even before he asked him to be his best man (Kagami did not put up a fight in this one) hugging his slender figure tight, accentuating whatever curve his muscled, yet still rather lanky body had.</p><p> </p><p>But Kagami was a fucking wet dream. He wore a simple, black suit with a dark red shirt and a bowtie that had no reason to look this good on him, except that it did, and Aomine was <em>into it</em>. It was probably because of the lack of finesse Kagami usually had in his outfits, wearing even his school uniform unzipped and carelessly pulled up (which was Aomine also guilty of), and parading around in sweats, basketball shorts and/or branded shirts every day (again, something Aomine did, too). Seeing him putting in actual effort, even going as far as to tuck his necklace behind his collar and slick his hair back with some pomade did unspeakable things to his long-time boyfriend.</p><p> </p><p>‘You’re staring.’ Kagami pointed out matter-of-factly, his voice not devoid of annoyance or rather embarrassment, if the flush on his cheeks was any indication.</p><p> </p><p>‘That’s ‘cause you’re ugly.’ Aomine shrugged, walking into their shared Yokohama hotel room’s bathroom like he owned the place. He figured everyone’s confidence would skyrocket if they were granted the kind of luxury Kise and his rich family provided for the guests; the fucking <em>toilet paper holder</em> was made of <em>gold</em>.</p><p> </p><p>He watched as Kagami sighed, his expression fully tipping over to that of annoyance now. He bent down once again in front of the mirror, using whatever product he still had left on the tips of his fingers to try to smooth down his eyebrows, his efforts turning up fruitless.</p><p> </p><p>‘Let me. You suck at this.’ Aomine rolled his eyes, walking closer to the sink and shoving Kagami to the side by his shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>‘What do you know about this kind of thing?’</p><p> </p><p>‘I grew up with Satsuki, remember?’ he murmured, pretending to know what he was doing as he thumbed along the line of Kagami’s forked brows, caressing the long, curled hairs. It was a blatant and obvious line. Momoi never really cared that much about hair anyways - she liked to braid, but Aomine offered no help, nor any willingness to be her lifesize dress-up doll.</p><p> </p><p>Kagami let him have his way anyway, staring at him with intense eyes. He probably thought he didn’t notice the way he sent a hungry glance along the line of his neck, his gaze tingling on Aomine’s skin like he was touching it for real. He definitely thought he didn’t notice him getting stuck on his lips, licking his own as he imagined devouring them, the tension between them growing more urgent with each second.</p><p> </p><p>Aomine was the first to give in, his hands falling down from Kagami’s face to curl around the lapels of his suit jacket, pulling him closer and pressing their lips together in a desperate tangle. The wet heat of his mouth, the sensual slip of his tongue and the small gasp he tried and failed to swallow sent a buzz straight across Aomine’s skull, melting whatever brain he had left and leaving him wanting much, much more.</p><p>
  
</p><p><strong>‘You look so hot I could fuck you senseless right now.’</strong> he blurted out when Kagami’s fingers pressed into the shirt on his stomach. Kagami stared at him, dumbfounded, the deep red blush that reached up to the roots of his hair arriving just a beat later.</p><p> </p><p>‘You- fuckin’-’ he gaped, trying to find the words as Aomine laughed at him, ducking down to press a soft kiss to the overheated skin under his chin. ‘Stop, I- Kise’s coming down here in ten minutes!’</p><p> </p><p>‘Let him watch.’ Aomine whispered into his neck, grazing his teeth against his jaw. ‘He can’t touch though.’</p><p> </p><p>‘That’s not the point!’ Kagami groaned, pushing him away by his shoulders. Aomine looked at him with a dazed expression, obviously still intoxicated by the taste of his skin and the smell of his cologne. It took them both a while to comprehend whatever Kagami’s been babbling, him frowning in frustration and Aomine smirking at him in return. ‘I meant- we’re gonna mess up our suits, you know?’</p><p> </p><p>‘I wanna mess up your suit.’ Aomine pouted- actually <em>pouted</em> at him, and Kagami shouldn’t have found it adorable from a twenty-three year old man, but he did.</p><p> </p><p>‘You can mess up my suit when the ceremony’s over.’ he huffed then, averting his eyes in case he fell under the spell of Aomine’s captivating gaze. He really had a hard time saying no to him sometimes.</p><p> </p><p>‘Promise?’</p><p> </p><p>‘I promise.’</p><p> </p><p>‘I don’t know what would happen if we were to marry. I’d probably try to fuck you on the altar.’ Aomine laughed, turning around and walking out of the bathroom.</p><p> </p><p>‘You probably would, you dirty bastard.’ Kagami grunted, turning back to the mirror so he could try and fix his eyebrows that Aomine seemingly messed up even worse. His eyes widened when his brain finally caught up with the conversation. ‘Wait, did you just fucking propose to me?’</p><p> </p><p>‘Aomine, that’d better not be a fucking <em>proposal</em>, I swear to God-’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. AoKaga + Is that my shirt you're wearing?'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aomine never made an effort to wake up before 11, except when there was a game in the morning.</p><p> </p><p>Kagami was used to crawling out of bed before him, careful as to not wake him up as he sneaked out to the kitchen to get some coffee and breakfast going. Because they both ran hot and were unable to refrain from cuddling during the night, they slept shirtless, with Kagami pulling a sleep shirt on from the edge of the bed in the morning. It was easier than tying his apron around his waist, and safer than risking first-degree burns on his uncovered torso from dealing with hot water and oil.</p><p> </p><p>He was still a little sore from yesterday. As a warm-up for the game, they went out and played basketball practically the entire day, teaming up with a few strangers who were flocking to them, finding their plays enthralling even with an untrained eye for talent. They only ever left the court to fetch water or food, some bags of chips, a takeout from Maji burger that was packed into a larger bag than the one Kagami brought with him. He wasn’t planning on a bag anyway, claiming that his phone, wallet and keys fit perfectly into his pockets, but then Aomine asked if they could bring his elbow brace for good measure, and the maternal instinct overrode all attempts at being practical.</p><p> </p><p>Kagami stifled a yawn, remembering just how late it was when they finally fell through the door. Aomine had collapsed on the couch, already half-asleep when Kagami finished unpacking his bag and walked over to poke him in the shoulder. He had to coerce him into taking a quick shower with him, promising him a blowjob, the moon and the stars, and an all-you-can-eat buffet for breakfast.</p><p>
  
</p><p><em>Well, he’s going to have to make do with some fried rice</em>, Kagami thought as he made a mental note to go grocery shopping later. He was lost in thought, still sleepy as he mixed and folded rice in the pan with a wooden spoon, and he supposed that’s why he only acknowledged his boyfriend’s presence when he’s already flopped down on the couch, shirtless, without a care in the world.</p><p> </p><p>‘What are you doing? The match starts in twenty minutes.’ Aomine called out grumpily. Kagami supposed it was only because of how little sleep he’s got, but he was sure he would make it up for it later with a nap that stretches throughout most of their day.</p><p> </p><p>‘I’ll be done in ten.’ he said, looking over his shoulder and only seeing Aomine’s naked back peaking out above the couch as he hunched over, changing the channels on his now turned on TV until he found the one streaming basketball. ‘Make yourself useful and open the door to the balcony, will you? I need some air in here.’</p><p> </p><p>Aomine moaned and grunted as he stood, acting like he was at least fifty years older and much more whiny than he actually was. Kagami grinned at that, shoveling two spoons of sugar and an equal amount of cocoa powder into Aomine’s coffee - it was the only way he ever drank it, but it was still much needed, even if it initially disgusted Kagami, who took his own black.</p><p> </p><p>Soon, he set down their respective mugs and two bowls of fried rice on the coffee table, sitting beside Aomine sprawled out on the couch. He sent him a curious glance, his brow raised in an unspoken question. ‘What?’ Kagami asked, blinking and trying to figure out if he’s forgotten something.</p><p> </p><p>‘Cuddle.’ Aomine said. It wasn’t a request, nor a question or demand - it was a statement, and Kagami laughed with how ridiculous it sounded.</p><p> </p><p>‘Nerd.’ he snickered, snuggling into Aomine’s neck and settling himself half against his chest and on his shoulder. Aomine wrapped an arm around him, turning his face to plant a quiet kiss on the top of his head.</p><p> </p><p>‘Your hair smells gross.’ he said.</p><p> </p><p>‘Your breath smells gross.’ Kagami replied, tipping over some when Aomine shrugged in response and continued to press soft kisses into his gross hair.</p><p> </p><p>The Cleveland Cavaliers were playing against the Chicago Bulls - their all-time favorite teams clashing against each other, and yet there wasn’t an ounce of hostility between them. They were genuinely excited for the game, watching for the thrill instead of turning it into yet another topic to butt heads over.</p><p> </p><p>Aomine’s fingers started stroking the nape of his neck, with Kagami sighing softly at the touch. Then they skid lower, skating his fingers up and down along Kagami’s spine just to the middle of his back where he could still comfortably reach. He then pulled away a little, frowning and looking at him with a little more awareness.</p><p>
  
</p><p><strong>‘Is that my shirt you’re wearing?’</strong> he asked, blinking down at Kagami as he looked up from where he was leaning into him.</p><p> </p><p>‘Is it?’ he hummed, glancing down at the soft, dark-colored V-neck that was indeed just a little loose on him. Aomine didn’t care much about sizing, whereas Kagami liked to have everything fit him just perfectly, which was indeed a hard task when not many people shared his size in Japan.</p><p> </p><p>‘That’s hot.’ Aomine mumbled, grabbing the back of Kagami’s neck and kissing him lazily. Kagami melted into it all the same, his palms pressing into Aomine’s bare chest.</p><p> </p><p>‘The game’s starting.’ he said, already feeling a little dizzy with how Aomine nipped at his lower lip, his fist clenching in his hair. Aomine hummed in return, seemingly not in any rush to release him yet.</p><p> </p><p>‘Blowjob after?’ he pulled back finally, licking his lips and looking ridiculously hot with the coy glint to his eyes. ‘You promised.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Want to bet on the match?’</p><p> </p><p>‘Bulls win, I suck?’ Aomine guessed a little bluntly. Kagami grinned at him anyway.</p><p> </p><p>‘Deal.’</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. AoKaga + playing with the other's hair pt.1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was pretty uncommon for them to be staying at his place.</p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t like Aomine didn’t like to be at home (he didn’t), it was just about the degree of privacy that was provided by Kagami having his own flat to himself that was more attractive to him than letting his parents meet his “friend”, wait on them to judge him one way or another (obviously, they <em>loved </em>Kagami and his annoying ability to be super polite and attentive with them) (what kind of sick sixteen year-old ever brought flowers <em>and </em>wine to meeting his friends’ parents, seriously) and then asking if he could spend the night. And then there was getting into the mood while they were alone together, and having to keep the volume to the bare minimum, restricting both of their screamer natures.</p><p> </p><p>There was a sick kind of thrill to it nevertheless, about the possibility of being found out, but when the hormones have settled, Aomine always felt guilty about it.</p><p> </p><p>He felt guilty about having Kagami over even when they weren’t doing anything sexual in nature. Just looking at him early in the morning, on one of the few occasions he managed to wake up before their alarm would go off, watching as he basically cuddled the wall as he tried to fit into his twin-size bed (that was not small per say, but definitely not big enough to fit two people of his size) (Aomine spent most of the night trying to balance himself on the edge, but it was fine) and listening to his rapid, yet monotonous enough huffs of breath that implicated that he was still asleep. He thought about waking him up for a quick anything in the morning, just to start their day right, but he sighed instead, deflating as he let that thought go in consideration for Kagami’s already fucked-up sleeping habits.</p><p> </p><p>Even then, Aomine felt the need to touch him. Maybe that would soothe his nerves, or untangle the knot in his stomach- it’d worked before, when he was feeling particularly shitty about going out with Kagami instead of Momoi or anyone else who wasn’t as blatantly masculine. Kagami had cuddled him and kissed his shoulder and let him feel the manly scent of his shampoo, the way his muscles strained around his torso, and he immediately went lax and calm in his embrace. <em>Seriously, Satsuki?</em> he rolled his eyes at his past self’s thought process just two minutes after it’d happened. He saw her more as a sister than anything else and it would never change, what-the-fuck-ever his anxiety told him about needing to be with someone other than Kagami.</p><p> </p><p><em>Other than a man</em>, he corrected himself, wiggling just a little further to the center of the bed, enough that he could feel Kagami’s heat now but not enough to bump into him and potentially wake him up. He trained his eyes on his naked back, the way his skin stretched around taut muscles that slightly danced with his breathing, the way his course, red hair licked at the nape of his neck where it was so sensitive.</p><p> </p><p>Aomine remembered how Kagami had purred into his kisses when he stroked it, and his fingers reached out for his skin before he could catch himself. He watched in awe as his hand pushed up into Kagami’s hair, the double-colored strands parting for his fingertips. He blew out a small breath carefully, fixated on the way the tips of his hair moved slightly under it, and a stupid grin tugged on his lips.</p><p> </p><p>‘mmm, Five more minutes, dad,’ Kagami groaned, turning his face down into one of Aomine’s spare pillows.</p><p> </p><p>‘That’s my line, you thief.’ Aomine said, following the curve of his skull with the tips of his fingers, warmth spreading in his chest when Kagami hummed some more in response.</p><p> </p><p>‘Yeah, but you’re awake now.’ Kagami argued with little to no actual fight in his words. He turned to lie on his back, and Aomine backed up just as much to let him, looking at him as Kagami bumped both of his elbows into his headboard when he lifted them above his head for a thorough stretch of his back. Aomine heard the small cracks of his spine as he did so, and shuddered.</p><p> </p><p>‘Gross.’ he mumbled, reaching up to gently push Kagami’s bangs back with a swipe of his palm. Aomine lowered himself to kiss his exposed forehead, frowning as it earned him a low chuckle. He pulled back to look at Kagami, narrowing his eyes at his gleeful expression. ‘What’s gotten into you?’</p><p> </p><p>‘Nothin’,’ Kagami grinned, relaxing further as Aomine began to idly scratch the top of his head. ‘I jus’ like you like this.’</p><p> </p><p>‘Like what?’</p><p> </p><p>‘Donno. Soft. Everything smells like you here.’ he whispered, cupping the side of Aomine’s neck in one huge hand, trying to bring him down.</p><p> </p><p>‘I’m not soft.’ Aomine muttered right before their lips met in a slow kiss. His hand tightened in Kagami’s hair, and he felt his breath hitch from the sudden pull.</p><p> </p><p>Their alarm would go off in two minutes, but before that would happen, life was theirs to live and Aomine didn’t have a damn thing to worry about.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. AoKaga + playing with the other's hair pt.2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For someone who put little to no efforts into his appearance, Aomine was <em>unfairly </em>good looking.</p><p> </p><p>And Kagami, well, he had an eye for handsome men. He always did, and he always made sure - albeit in the past, he did so rather subconsciously - to surround himself with boys who were easy on the eyes. Obviously, he wasn’t shallow, and he would never let go of a friend because they wouldn’t match his expectations look-wise, he just tended to gravitate towards guys he was attracted to.</p><p> </p><p><em>Well, that was just natural, wasn’t it?</em>, he bargained with himself, trying to find some legitimate reason for how his eyes stuck to Aomine like glue as if he had no concept of shame whatsoever. He did, and that was exactly why he was overthinking it, trying to find a legitimate reason to be so enthralled with his looks.</p><p> </p><p>Maybe it was the way his tanned skin stretched over his sharp jawline. Maybe it was the high cheekbones that gave a concrete definition to his too-serious teenager face, giving him an almost menacing look. It could’ve been the way his almond-shaped, midnight eyes and dark lashes softened his forever-bothered gaze, or the way the curves of his mouth gentled the edge to his expression, even with his lips pressed tight in concentration as he lazily spun a basketball (Kagami’s basketball) on the tip of his finger, giving it a few good slaps when it dared to slow down to the point of wavering in his otherwise perfect balance.</p><p> </p><p>Or, it could’ve been the way his hair, dark blue and shiny, licked at the lines of his forehead, unkempt and still a little damp with sweat from their earlier rendezvous at the court. They played one on one, and somehow came to the conclusion that instead of spending their money at the burger store, they should eat the tons of gyoza Kagami made last weekend and forgot to freeze for later.</p><p> </p><p>‘Didn’t your hair get a little too long?’ Kagami asked, and before he knew it, his hand moved on its own: pushing his fingers through Aomine’s bangs and twisting them at the top. Aomine twitched, the ball that was once perfectly safe on his hand now bouncing away and making a steady break for the open road in front of the bus stop. They both moved to retrieve it, but Aomine was there just a millisecond earlier; snatching the ball and holding it flush against his torso.</p><p> </p><p>Speaking of flush: was he <em>blushing</em>...?</p><p> </p><p>‘Give a guy a warning, will ya?!’ he barked, finally settling his initial heart attack with loud exhale. He sat back down on his original seat, squinting to try to look up at his hair, huffing once more when he still couldn’t. ‘I donno. Did it?’</p><p> </p><p>‘Looks like it,’ Kagami said, taking his rightful place beside him and raising his hand more tentatively this time. ‘Can I?’</p><p> </p><p>Aomine eyed him suspiciously, first his face and then his upturned hand, and nodded his permission. His own hands tightened around the basketball as Kagami brushed his fingers through his bangs once again, exposing his wrinkled forehead.</p><p> </p><p>‘Sure it did.’ Kagami murmured, pinching a strand of blue hair between his thumb and forefinger, examining the length of it with a gentle pull. He tried to twirl it around his finger, only to have it slip out of his hold. He smiled to himself, ruffling through Aomine’s hair.</p><p> </p><p>‘You look weird.’ he deadpanned, and proceeded to laugh at Aomine’s answering cussing until the bus would come.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. AoKise (& HaiKise) + reacting to the other crying</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="">
  <p>Haizaki was such a stupid prick.</p>
  <p> </p>
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  <p>Aomine guessed he wasn’t much different, because he was just dumb enough to agree to talk to him after practice. He hadn’t had too much expectations for whatever that asshole was going to say, neither did he know why it had to be him he was saying it to, but even guys like him could pose a surprise.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘You know Kise Ryouta, right?’ Haizaki asked him. Both of them were leaning against the wall outside of one of the indoors courts, both feeling way too manly to first make a way for the benches and admit to their wobbly knees, almost giving out from exhaustion. They were big kids, they could handle it.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It was kind of a dumb question: everyone knew Kise Ryouta. Even outside of the basketball club where he was famous for being a rookie with extraordinary talent and steadily climbing through the tiers, he was famous for being a model and an athlete with impressive skills in basically all genres of sport. As well as his pretty face and his ability to be a chick magnet - Aomine guessed that Haizaki didn’t mean “have you ever heard of him” by “knowing” Kise.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I guess.’ he shrugged noncommittally. They were friends, but it’s not like you just went ahead and carelessly shoved all of your cards in Haizaki’s face so he could abuse whatever he finds out about you. ‘Why?’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘He’s cute.’ Haizaki deadpanned, and Aomine finally looked at him, blinking slowly. ‘And Valentine’s day is coming up. He looks like a sensitive dude, so I’d have no luck in just asking if he’s up for a lay, and I wondered if you knew what he liked.’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Wait. You’re serious?’ Aomine mumbled, his jaw somewhere on the floor, his words almost inarticulate for how his mouth fell wide open in shock.</p>
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  <p>‘Are you making fun of me?!’</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Dude, you’ve been going at his throat since day one.’ he said, irritated by his temper. Well... he guessed it made sense. Guys like Haizaki tended to bully the object of their desires; Aomine knew exactly how it was. It felt bad to admit, but he had an intimate knowledge of how guys like Haizaki were. Some would say first-hand. ‘Nevermind. I don’t know him terribly well, but there is something...’</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Ryo-ta~’ Haizaki approached them the next day on the same benches they refused to take a seat on yesterday. Aomine, Kise, Momoi and Midorima were lazing around, waiting for the others to join them and eventually for practice to begin. Kise looked up, curious but wary, at the familiar drawl.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Haizaki-kun.’ he smiled in a tight and compressed way, and Aomine was immediately overtaken by childish excitement. <em>This better be good.</em></p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I have a surprise for you.’ Haizaki smiled back at him, wicked and not at all well-meaning. He just had this aura to him that he couldn’t shed, and it was perfectly lining up with Aomine’s plan. ‘Do you wanna close your eyes?’</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Ah... o-of course.’ Kise stuttered, shutting his eyes and nervously clenching his fists on his sides. Haizaki brought the hand he kept neatly tucked behind his back forward, placing its content on Kise’s shoulder. Aomine heard Momoi gasp from his other side.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘You can open them now.’ Haizaki stepped back gingerly. Kise did, and the scene that unfolded after that was completely flawless down to the smallest detail. Kise jumped up from the bench, causing it to budge under Midorima, who up until then didn’t care to be occupied with whatever was happening, but now snapped his head up from his book in shock. Haizaki’s cheerful expression fell, and Aomine swore he caught the exact moment when his dreams were shattered by a harmless but perfectly executed prank.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Take it off, take it off me!’ Kise whimpered, tears already prickling at his eyes, and Aomine quickly got to his feet to usher the small and lively earthworm from his shoulder into his palm, cradling it gently for a second and then stepping away to place it on the grass behind the bench.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘I-is it off?’ Kise asked, his voice shaky and wet. He was sniffling constantly, still trembling from fear.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>‘Yeah, it’s off.’ Aomine said, suddenly feeling very guilty about the whole deal. The glare Haizaki was fixing him was utterly worth it, but making Kise cry - not so much. ‘C’mere, you. It’s okay.’ he mumbled, wrapping one arm around his shoulder and pulling him close by his stupid, whiny, blond head to comfort him. Kise sobbed into his neck in relief, clutching the cardigan on his back, totally unaware of the staring contest Aomine was having with Haizaki over his shoulder.</p>
  <p> </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Well, that’s one opponent eliminated.</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. AoKaga + forehead or cheek kisses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>*to the tune of wap* sap sap sap sap sromantic ass phusbands</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kagami couldn’t stop staring at the ring that was now glinting flashes of red and blue at him whenever he moved his hand just on the edge of his vision.</p><p>It was still sort of foreign on his finger, and initially he thought that was why he spent so much time adjusting it and examining it up close, further away, twisting it left and right until he memorized the subtle silver casing of the rose gold base, the small white crystal in the middle and the two colored gems on either of its side.</p><p>Kagami still couldn’t believe that Aomine had the resources to pay for real ruby and sapphire. It must’ve cost a fortune, and he must’ve had to save up so much for so long, and it was going to be a temporary one anyway, although Kagami suspected he would put it right beside the one already hanging from his neck once they give each other the permanent ones; he found that just the mere thought of that made him all choked up about the whole situation.</p><p>He said yes. Of course he said yes, when Aomine got down on one knee on the fucking street court of all places, sweaty and laughing and trembling and a whole mess about it. Not only did he say yes, but he also collapsed onto him before Aomine could stand up, not even complaining when Kagami basically attempted to crush and then suffocate him with the kisses he planted on his mouth, over and over and over again until they were <em>both </em>huge messes, the open box dropped and almost forgotten on weary concrete.</p><p>‘Glad you like it so much.’ Aomine said, half sarcastic and half genuine as he caught him staring at his hand in disbelief for what seemed like the twentieth time that week. Kagami smiled up at him dreamily, his eyes falling closed for the small kiss Aomine pressed against his lips.</p><p>'It’s beautiful.’ he said for probably the twentieth time in a row. 'Fuck, it feels so good to be engaged.’</p><p>'It suits you.’ Aomine murmured, patting his head as he made his way to the kitchen. There was a time when the gesture felt berating, but Kagami knew better by now than to question the genuineness of the ways Aomine showed affection. Instead, he treasured every last one of them.</p><p>'The ring, or being engaged?’ Kagami followed him with his eyes, craning his neck to watch him pour himself a glass of orange juice instead of chugging it straight from the bottle. Kagami was actually proud.</p><p>Aomine turned to him, leaning his waist against the counter as he took a few sips. He looked good, all casual and loose and lean, his expression relaxed behind the glass, his throat visibly working as he swallowed. He looked <em>really</em> good.</p><p>‘Both.’ he shrugged, setting the half-full glass back on the counter. ‘You’ve been beaming at me ever since I put that thing on your finger.’</p><p>‘Am not.’ Kagami argued, feeling his grin stretch his lips painfully wide. He was definitely beaming at him. ‘…shut up.’</p><p>‘I’d rather not. I like it when you’re all stupidly giddy about it.’ Aomine trailed off, somewhat complex emotions crawling up his face. Kagami watched him as he narrowed his lips, the way the lines of his brows softened, how his eyelids slowly fell shut as he inhaled deeply. This is how he looked when feelings were just a little too much for him. Too much sadness, too much loneliness, and lately- too much joy. It made Kagami’s heart ache with how much he loved him, and he knew that Aomine was feeling the same way.</p><p>The proof was right there on his hand.</p><p>‘Daiki…’ Kagami rasped, finally getting his attention back. He was on his feet before he knew it, crossing the distance and cradling Aomine’s face in his hands. He looked at him with his eyes way too shiny to not be teary, his gaze tender and so, so full of love that Kagami could barely handle it.</p><p>So he kissed him. And then he kissed him some more. He kissed his lips, the tip of his nose, his chin; he tipped Aomine’s head forward so he could reach his forehead with his mouth, just pressing onto it for a few seconds, letting it linger. He kissed the top of his cheekbones and lower, feeling Aomine’s dimpling smile against his chin when he let his smooches smack obnoxiously, making both of them laugh.</p><p>‘You’re gross.’ Aomine grinned, wrapping his fingers around the back of his neck.</p><p>‘<em>You’re</em> gross.’ Kagami said and leaned in to kiss his future husband once again, once more, and planning to keep kissing him forever.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. AoKaga + 'Wow, you look... amazing.'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>sometimes i do write ships without the established relationship</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kagami set his cardboard sheet down in his lap, his bouncing leg gently rattling the makeshift plate with Aomine’s name written on it in clumsy kanjis, and an added “welcome aboard” in all Latin letters. Looking up from his phone, he looked at the notice board of arriving planes. <em>He should be here soon.</em></p><p>He hasn’t seen Aomine in two years. The others, he’d caught glimpses of over social media: most notably Kise, who had an overwhelmingly active social media presence for PR reasons, and Murasakibara, who’d shown up in Himuro’s stories at least every second or third day. Kuroko and him had been messaging non-stop and Skyped whenever they could work around the crazy time zone differences. Sometimes, he was joined by one of the late Seirin members, or Momoi, or Kise, or on one occasion when it was his birthday, all of them at once.</p><p>The latest picture on Aomine’s Instagram account was from second year of high-school: it was a blurry picture of him taken in Kise’s backyard, a can of Coke in his hand and his signature, mildly annoyed frown sitting on his face. Kagami occasionally caught his thumb wandering back to that picture so he could stare at it a while longer, taking in everything the pixelated candid allowed him to see of the man; even more frequently ever since he’d heard that Aomine would be moving to the States for a sports scholarship.</p><p>Kagami had an irrational fear that somehow he wouldn’t be able to recognize him after so much time spent apart. He wondered if he grew taller, if his style changed, if his voice dropped even lower - wondered how he was wearing his hair now, if there’s anything different in the way he played basketball, or if he was still the same, lawless menace on the court than he used to be.</p><p>A huge crowd of people flooded the hall from the gates, and Kagami jumped up from his seat. <em>Shit, I missed the announcement</em>, he thought, stumbling closer and holding his sign up as he squinted through the people, looking for someone even remotely familiar.</p><p>It didn’t take long for them to spot each other. The very first thing Kagami had seen was the glint of piercing, midnight blue eyes, and then the huge, tired grin that spread over a dark face, flashing bright white teeth.</p><p>‘That’s embarrassing, you know.’ was the first thing Aomine said after two years, pointing at the cardboard plate in Kagami’s hand. That jerk.</p><p>‘Shut up! I just didn’t want you to get lost here is all.’</p><p>‘Like you need anything to stand out even more.’ Aomine snorted, his eyes narrowing. Leave it to them to fight right after reuniting - <em>figures</em>.</p><p>Kagami wordlessly took one of Aomine’s bags, ignoring any sort of complaint or pride-fueled argument coming his way for it. Now that they were walking side by side, he could finally take in the other, and note everything that’s changed about him. First, he did grow out his hair; his bangs licked at his brows, and he still wasn’t used to it if the way he reached up to flick it away every five minutes was any indication. And somehow, he got even taller, which was just unfair.</p><p>Kagami let his eyes linger on his defined cheeks, the tendons in his neck, the broadness of his shoulder. He’d gotten even hotter.</p><p><b>‘Wow, you look… amazing.’</b> he muttered under his breath, clenching his fist around the edge of his cardboard.</p><p>‘What was that?’ Aomine looked at him, eyes no longer searching for an exit.</p><p>‘I said you seem taller.’ Kagami grunted, flushed pink in the cheek. ‘You want to play basketball?’</p><p>Aomine smiled easily. ‘That’s why I came here in the first place, dumbass.’</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. MidoTaka + 'What if one day I wake up and you don't?'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>*slams fist on table* GIVE ME MORE MIDOTAKA PROMPTS</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shin-chan only ever checked his own horoscope in the morning, sticking to the Oha Asa’s everyday report.</p><p>The Scorpio’s however, he was all the more fixated on. He stayed up late after midnight every night, refreshing every news site and application on his phone that was updating at such a late hour, skimming through all other signs until he got to Scorpio. Once he read through that carefully, focusing so hard that his mouth was forming the words he was taking in, he sighed and laid back down on Takao’s side.</p><p>‘What’s up, Shin-chan?’ Takao mumbled with closed eyes. He felt his boyfriend jerk where he was pressed up against him; he probably thought he was asleep. Which was clearly Takao’s intention. ‘Do I get lucky today?’</p><p>A flirty edge crept into his voice, craning his neck so he could press his lips to Shin-chan’s jaw. He missed and awkwardly smushed against his cheek.</p><p>‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ Shin-chan said in his serious Shin-chan tone. Takao wanted to keep kissing him, because it was the voice he so often heard when Shin-chan was flustered, and tried his hardest to hide it by dumbly straightening his glasses. Except that he didn’t have glasses on in bed, so all he did was idly scratch at his temple, fingers twitching to mask the habitual movement. ‘Who said I was checking yours?’</p><p>‘So you do admit you’re reading horoscopes just after midnight.’ Takao grinned, cracking an eye open just in time to see Shin-chan’s ashen face turn into a bright red. ‘Ah, you’re so lame.’</p><p>‘You little…’ Shin-chan grunted, planting a palm against Takao’s forehead with the intention to push him away and out of bed. (He could do it, with how ridiculously long his arms were.) Takao ducked his head and snuggled against his chest instead.</p><p>‘You’re right, I’m little.’ he swooned, wrapping his arms tightly around Shin-chan’s middle. ‘So come and spoon me already.’</p><p>‘You’re undeserving of my affection.’</p><p>‘Don’t be a meanie. I’m small and adorable.’ Takao pouted. ‘You should spoil me <em>aa-</em>ll day long.’</p><p>‘You’re terribly annoying, especially when you’re babbling like that.’ Shin-chan stated. ‘Stop it, or you’re sleeping on the couch.’</p><p>‘Whatever you say, nerd.’ Takao yawned, pushing Shin-chan on his back and laying on top of him, his head resting right above his heart. He was lifted up slightly by his inhales, the movement stirring him from the warm state of sleepiness, but he didn’t mind. He was intrigued anyway, so he propped his chin up on Shin-chan’s breastbone, blinking up at his bothered expression. He was squinting down at him, trying to see without his glasses.</p><p>‘You okay, Shin-chan?’ he mumbled, genuinely concerned this time. Shin-chan averted his gaze, staring into the blurry blotch of darkness on the other side of the room.</p><p>‘I need to know that you’re going to be okay tomorrow.’ he whispered, grimacing in pain. <b>‘What if one day I wake up and you don’t?’</b></p><p>Takao lifted himself up on his elbows, blinking in surprise. ‘Then you go and be your awesome self alone.’</p><p>Shin-chan shook his head, wincing. ‘No, don’t say that. I can’t-, and I won’t, go on without you.’</p><p>‘Yeah, you would. Eventually, because you know that’s what I would want.’ Takao smiled at him, trying to muster enough emotional strength to make it seem genuine. ‘Don’t get all “if you go I’ll go after you” over me, Shintarou. You’re way too precious to just throw everything away like that.’</p><p>He lowered himself to plant a soft kiss against his boyfriend’s mouth, muffling his protests. Shin-chan slowly relaxed into the touch, and soon, he was kissing him back desperately, clutching at Takao’s sleep shirt.</p><p>Separating had actually hurt Takao, and if his low whimper was any indication, it was hurting Shin-chan, too. Takao reached down to untangle Shin-chan’s fingers from his shirt, pulling up and pressing his hand against his own chest.</p><p>‘You don’t even need to worry about that sort of thing yet, you know?’ he sighed, leaning his forehead against Shin-chan’s. His hand blanketed Shin-chan’s own, securing it over his heart. ‘I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.’</p><p>Shin-chan blinked away his tears, his face as open as Takao had never seen it before. He reached up with his free hand to pull him back for another kiss, tangling their tongues together, breathing life into each other, moving around until none of them knew where their bodies ended and where the other began.</p><p>Not that it mattered anyway. Not that anything ever mattered as long as they were together.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. KiseKuro + 'I wouldn't change a thing about you.'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kuroko's favorite hobby is giving Kise existential crisises.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He’d been love with Kuroko since his second year of middle school.</p><p>Kise couldn’t really put his finger on it at first. After just a few weeks of training together, he started thinking about him outside of practice, the light blue mop of hair and the huge blue eyes creeping into his thoughts at the most inappropriate times. Sometimes it would be in the middle of class, Kise staring out the window at the sky and sighing dreamily, until the very object of his desires jabbed at his side from the table next to him, as if he could read his thoughts.</p><p>Sometimes, Kise thought that he could. Kuroko had this habit of fine-tuning his senses to his teammates’ reactions: he often spoke Aomine’s mind for him, cleared up Akashi’s vague instructions for the others or deciphered the metaphors Midorima often spoke in, and always knew when to say something uplifting to his friends.</p><p>Often, he seemed to reserve that talent only for Kise.</p><p><b>‘I wouldn’t change a thing about you</b>, Kise-kun.<b>’</b> Kuroko told him, all snug and flush against his side when they were strolling home from a night out, five years after they met – five years of pining, five years of doubting if he’d ever be good enough for Kuroko to notice him, to want to be with him, five years of hell that was exchanged for a lifetime of heaven.</p><p>Kise’s arm tightened around his shoulder instinctively, protectively. He didn’t know what had prompted this, wasn’t even sure how Kuroko got a hold of his insecurities, but he did, and now he was strangling them with two hands, the same hands he used to hold on tight and never let him go. Kise turned his face into the soft hair on the top of Kuroko’s head, planting small kisses between the silky strands.</p><p>‘What’s gotten into you?’ he asked, teasing him lightly. ‘We shouldn’t have watched that romantic comedy after all?’</p><p>‘No, that’s not it.’ Kuroko said, nuzzling into his chest. ‘I know how you’re always putting on a face so that others won’t think of you as a weak person when something’s been bothering you. I don’t think you’re a weak person, and frankly I’ve been annoyed with your dishonesty for quite some time.’ he raised his head, looking up curiously to read Kise’s eyes that were fixated on his face. ‘However, I’ve gotten to a point where I don’t even mind how you hide yourself, because it’s also part of you and as such, I’ve grown to love it. I’m also fundamentally a selfish person, and I like that I’m the only one who ever really knows the real you.’</p><p>‘I can’t think of you as a selfish person, Kurokocchi.’ Kise mumbled, reveling in the sweet smile Kuroko had flashed him for that.</p><p>‘That’s because you love by highlighting the good in other people when you started off seeing only the bad things in them. Me, on the other hand, I assume the good things first and later grow to love their dark sides.’</p><p>‘Dark sides?’ Kise frowned. <em>So he really didn’t enjoy being with him, huh?</em> ‘I’m not… bad for you or anything, am I?’</p><p>‘You’re very silly, Kise-kun.’ Kuroko sighed, stopping him and reaching up for a kiss. He had to stand on his tiptoes to fully press against him, but it was fine, because Kise still got a taste of his vanilla Coke, and an armful of Kurokocchi leaning onto him. ‘Instead of hearing the part about how I love you very much, you’re only focusing on the negatives. You’re quite the pessimist.’</p><p>‘Maybe so.’ Kise smiled a little, squeezing Kuroko’s waist. ‘But I do love you too, you know.’</p><p>‘I’m aware.’ Kuroko smiled, and pulled him down again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Kagami Taiga + 'No one's going to hurt you.'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>tw: implied child abuse (physical abuse)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Taiga’s dad was not a cruel man, not as he described himself. He was sensible, and he was strict, but his dad wasn’t cruel.</p><p>And Taiga repeated this, like a mantra, whenever he’d hit him. <em>He’s not cruel, I did something wrong.</em></p><p>
  <em>He’s not cruel, I made a mistake.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I broke that vase. He isn’t cruel.</em>
</p><p>“My dad’s not cruel!” he yelled at a teacher in school, when he’d been asked about his bruises. He never realized he accidentally switched to Japanese.</p><p>
  <em>He wasn’t cruel, he wasn’t-</em>
</p><p>Taiga sobbed, the words spilling from his mouth that could no longer form words. It was swollen, blood dripping down his chin, the metallic taste of it flooding his mouth. It stung where his tears met the cut, his whimpers growing louder and harsher.</p><p>Real men don’t cry, his dad had told him, raising his hand to land another hit. Taiga was mistaken to let his tears flow in front of him from the first punch - if he were to keep it in until he got back to his room, he might have just got away with a  bruised cheek and that was it.</p><p>LA was one of those cities that never stopped, never slept. The world didn’t halt its’ spinning for nine year old boys crying out, bleeding out, running away and stumbling on the streets in the pitch blackness of the night, broken only by menacing-looking, orange street lights. People didn’t spare him a look or a word of comfort, and cars drove by, headlights and horns and the sheer speed of them cutting through the air too loud to be ignored. Taiga thought he was yelling at them, but he couldn’t be so sure: numbness set itself over his small frame, taking over the pain and the sadness and the excruciating feeling of being too weak to do anything.</p><p>It was a bridge he’d wandered onto, the solid metal railing cold against his back. His eyes, unseeing, stuck to the city lights reflecting on the river below. He wondered how cold the water must be; was it salty like the ocean, or gross like their tapwater at home? He sniffled, wiping his nose with the back of his hand.</p><p><em>He shouldn’t hurt you</em>, said a voice inside his head, one that was weak before but it grew too loud to be ignored. Taiga’s lashes fluttered as he tried to blink away the soreness left by crying so much.</p><p>‘What can I do, anyway?’ he mumbled, leaning his forehead against the intricate metal carving with some profanity spray-painted over it.</p><p>
  <em>You can leave. You can stand up and fight. You have to.</em>
</p><p>‘But he’s my dad-’</p><p>
  <em>- and he isn’t cruel, right?</em>
</p><p>Taiga swallowed around the dry lump in his throat. It felt like he was trying to eat sandpaper. The familiar words suddenly hurt when it came from the mockery of his own voice.</p><p>
  <em>You’re no longer allowed to be a child. This is when you grow up and get going. You can’t let him hurt you again. If you do it, <b>no one’s ever going to hurt you</b> again.</em>
</p><p>Taiga took a deep, shuddering breath. He stood up from where he was curled up on the concrete, peaking out above the tall metal railing at the city in front of him. Slowly, he raised his hand and pressed his fingertips into the bruise in his cheek, the pain flaring up and throbbing across the side of his face.</p><p>He was no longer allowed to be a kid.</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. AoKaga + 'Yell, scream, cry, please, just say something, anything.'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aomine has nightmares. It's fine it's all fine everything's fine</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kagami was making dinner as Kagami always used to be making dinner, with his expression focused, a small frown forming on his boyish face in concentration. Aomine thought it was cute, but they’d been fighting, and he couldn’t just go up to him and tell him that. Instead, he groaned, grumpy that he’d been woken up by the noises.</p><p>‘Shut the fuck up already,’ Aomine told him and shuffled where he laid on the couch, facing the back so he wouldn’t be reminded that he was over at his place, <em>again</em>. There was something about staying at Kagami’s flat that made him feel concernedly, uncomfortably vulnerable, even after almost a year of dating, and three weeks of almost-living here.</p><p>But Kagami wasn’t speaking. In fact, he didn’t seem to bother with Aomine at all, moving around and seemingly only knocking pots and pans together with no actual work being done, resulting in the annoying noise that woke Aomine up in the first place. Didn’t he know he needed his afternoon nap?</p><p>‘What’s cooking anyway?’ he yawned, rolling onto his back and scratching at his exposed belly, eyes still closed, listening to the harsh melody of the sounds. Kagami gave no answer to that either - silent treatment, got it. ‘I’m not eating it if it’s not teriyaki.’</p><p><em>You’ll eat whatever I cook anyway</em>, Aomine almost heard the response of the Kagami in his head, complete with the visual of him rolling his eyes and shrugging his shoulder, a sign that he was irritated but not truly angry with him. But the Kagami in reality gave him only his silence, and for that, an uncomfortable feeling started to set in the pit of Aomine’s stomach. He opened his eyes, glaring at the ceiling in frustration, before he’d roll off the couch and land on his feet, swift and silent like a cat.</p><p>‘Cut it out, BaKagami.’ Aomine hissed, marching up to him. Kagami’s face was unmoving, the same tight mask of concentration draped over it, and Aomine’d never meant the insult seamed into his name before as much as he did now. ‘Are you deaf or something?’</p><p>Kagami turned away to do something with the frying pan he was waving around, and Aomine felt like someone poured a bucket of ice water down his back. He jerked, growing physically sick by the minute from the outright rejection. He wanted to reach out, wanted to shake Kagami by his shoulders and scream into his face, punch him and leave him to think about what he’d done, but mostly, he just wanted to touch him. He would be content with just pressing up against him and biting his earlobe - that would <em>certainly </em>get his attention -, but he didn’t seem to be able to move.</p><p>It was like there was an invisible wall between them, built by the tireless efforts of Kagami’s deafening silence. Aomine shuddered, his stomach threatening to empty itself with a low growl, the obvious stress reaction starting to set in.</p><p><b>‘Yell, scream, cry, please, just say something, anything</b>,<b>’</b> he muttered, his lips quivering, trembling even as he bit into them, hard - the taste of the metallic blood the first truly real thing about the situation. ‘Kagami, please, just tell me to fuck off, say I’m an asshole, Kagami, <em>Kagami</em>-’</p><p>‘Aomine, wake up!’ Kagami called out to him, finally, <em>finally</em>, his grip so solid and so tight on his arms, shaking him like Aomine’d wanted to shake him just mere seconds ago. The first gasping breath he took made him think that he hadn’t even been breathing this hole time, even as his lung burned with being overworked.</p><p>It took some time for reality to set in, and most of it was thanks to Kagami’s relentless efforts at comforting him. ‘You were having a bad dream,’ <em>So it was just a dream.</em> ‘and I’m sorry I wasn’t here, I should’ve, shit-,’ <em>He was just dreaming.</em> ‘I’m sorry we fought,’ Aomine was in Kagami’s bed, and Kagami took the couch. <em>That self-sacrificing fucker</em>, even though Aomine was pretty sure it was him at fault. ‘but I’m here now, I’m here, and I’m not going to let things get out of hands, so just… calm down, okay? I’m here, it’s going to be okay.’ he’d sputtered, too fast and clumsy to do anything to Aomine’s anxiety, but it wasn’t what he was saying that really did it to him.</p><p>It was the way he was there for him, jumping up at the first sign of trouble - apparently, it was Aomine screaming for him -, his hands tight and grounding around his shoulders; it was how he’d pulled him against his chest and kissed his sweat-soaked hair, trying to stop the unstoppable trembling of Aomine’s body with wrapping his arms around him, pressing against him, holding him like he had no intention of ever letting go.</p><p>Aomine sobbed, the ugly, hiccuping sounds distant to his own ears as he let Kagami breathe life into his broken soul once again.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. AoKaga + 'I know it hurts.' & 'I’m right here, okay?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>trigger warning: graphic depictions of injuries, car crashes, heartbreaks.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Not many people thought of Taiga as a pillar of strength in their lives, even though he’d filled that role for so many, for so long.</p><p>Aomine kind of picked up on it in their second year together. They’ve been dating, and for a while, it was good - it was so good Aomine could barely believe it. And then, it was bad, and it got even worse, and a time came when it was just <em>there</em>. They were, there for each other, quiet and understanding and knowing how it will never get better than stormy, but hoping, praying that they could at least keep <em>this </em>up, because even though it wasn’t making them happy, they were too proud, too stubborn, too attached to even think about letting go.</p><p>Realization struck him right before the end, and Aomine wasn’t sure he would ever forgive himself for not noticing before. How intently Taiga’s listened to him, proving himself to be a surprisingly solid support to his small problems, and the issues that were too heavy to be said out loud. How he’d never complained about Aomine taking up his space and inviting himself to his house just to get away from the world, because he knew that was what he needed.</p><p>In the two years they were together, Taiga’d always knew just what he needed. He focused on Aomine on the smallest ways, from the faces he made watching various TV shows to the speed of which he’d wolfed down dishes, to the hitches in his breath when Taiga spent the best of foreplay exploring his body with his mouth, memorizing of every sensitive patch of skin, every kind of food that appealed to Aomine, every small snort that signaled something was matching to his sense of humor.</p><p>Taiga dumped him. It didn’t break him; he knew what he was signing up for, they both knew. They had a screaming match, and Aomine cried on the way to Satsuki, and then brooded some more, and eventually, the numbness settled in. He’d forgot how Taiga’s hair smelled when he woke up beside him. He forgot about the callouses on his hands, how oily his scrambled eggs were, the sound of his laughter, piercing and loud.</p><p>But he never forgot how he was always there for him.</p><p>And it did broke him when he saw his downfall.</p><p>Aomine shouldn’t have been there. Neither of them should’ve been there, but they had things to do at the same district at the same time, so they happened to be on the same bus. Which also happened to be driving in the same lane that intersected with a drunk driver’s.</p><p>The impact sent them flying across the aisle, frowns and scoffs and cold shoulder forgotten. When Aomine came to, the first thing he picked up on was the ringing in his ear and the sticky, warm sensation flooding the side of his head. There was debris under his face, shards of glass digging into his palms as he tried to push himself up to look around, but his entire body felt sluggish. He was nauseated, and he wasn’t sure if it was courtesy of his major concussion, or the stench of gasoline all around him, filling his nostrils.</p><p>‘Shit,’ he groaned. If there was a spill, and the motors were in any way damaged, they had to get out of there, and they had to get out <em>quick</em>. The bus was going to blow up any minute, but- who were <em>they</em>?</p><p>‘Kagami.’ Aomine mumbled. Taiga was with him, he was with him a second ago, which could’ve been an hour, he couldn’t tell, but Taiga was there, <em>Taiga</em>- ‘KAGAMI!’</p><p>For a long moment, there was only distant coughs and yelling answering him - he listened carefully, and none of them sounded like Taiga. Aomine tried to focus through the haziness of his vision, caused by head trauma and the kind of inevitable tears that prickled his eyes from pain, worry and desperation; his heart was gripped, ice-cold, by fear.</p><p>And then, a <em>wheeze</em>. A soft sob, and a long groan to his right. Aomine rubbed his eyes, quick and messy, blinking in the direction of the - finally, <em>finally </em>- familiar voice, his limbs already moving towards him on instinct.</p><p>‘Ao-… mine?’ Taiga rasped, shuddering and gasping as the sudden movement stirred his very recent, and very painful injuries. Aomine still couldn’t see much, but Taiga’s lower body seemed to be stuck under bent metal, and oh <em>god</em>, was that his shoe? Do legs bend that way?</p><p><b>‘</b>Yeah, yeah.<b> I’m right here, okay?’ </b>he murmured, matting down Taiga’s dark red hair with shaky hands. His dark, <em>dark </em>red hair. Has it always been this dark? Oh fuck, this sticks, actually, <em>is that blood</em>?</p><p>‘Aomine…’ Taiga sobbed, turning his head in an attempt to meet his eyes. Another shudder rippled through him, this one more forceful - his head jerked under Aomine’s softly cradling palm. He exhaled loudly through his nose, pushing himself up to sit, his nausea creeping back stubbornly as he did. With a little more fiddling, he managed to stuff his knee under Kagami’s head, words of clumsy comfort spilling from his lips as he did.</p><p>‘You’re gonna be okay, this is just nothing. Nothing, you hear me, Taiga? You’ll get out of here in no time, no time at all. Everything’s going to be just fine, just fine you know?’</p><p>‘You’re repeating yourself…’</p><p>‘Maybe I like repeating myself, jerk.’</p><p>That earned a small laugh from Taiga, followed by an immediate hiss of discomfort. Aomine stilled the fingers that were mindlessly carding through his hair, smearing blood over themselves.</p><p><b>‘I know it hurts.’ </b>he whispered, even though it’d pained him to even say out loud.<b><br/></b></p><p>‘I’m scared. Daiki…’</p><p>‘No, no, you’ll get through this. We’ll get out of here. The ambulance’s on its way.’</p><p>‘I wish-’</p><p>‘No. No, you don’t get to wish. Not yet. You’ll wish when you’re better.’</p><p>‘I wish I could’ve loved you longer.’ Taiga said, his lips trembling. Aomine drew up his shoulders, releasing a long, shuddering sigh as the tears started to fall. He shook underneath Taiga, leaning over him, cherishing him the way he never could, and won’t ever be able to.</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. MidoTaka + lifting someone up out of excitement</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They won.</p><p>They <em>won</em>. The buzzer went off the same exact moment the ball snapped against the floor one more time, flying high from the impact of Shintarou’s three.</p><p>The air was literally crisp from tension. For a second, everything seemed to come to a halt; Shintarou’s hand was frozen in the same stupid position he held for a second too long, their opponents stopped mid-sprint, and even Takao was stuck in his little semi-squat, still processing. They won. It went in. It should’ve been obvious, because Shintarou was amazing, but,</p><p><em><b>they won</b></em>.</p><p>The roar of the crowd seemed to resume the world. It was so piercing, so loud that it brought the life back into their stilled frames. He looked around, watching as Miyaji burst into tears, their teammates bumping shoulders and throwing arms around each other, Aomine Daiki finally tearing his wild eyes from their own hoop to stare at Shintarou in disbelief. And Shintarou stared back at him, mouth agape, eyes wide behind his glasses.</p><p>Takao’s legs moved on instinct. He thought they’d give up on him by now, was sure ever since the start of the fourth quarter, but they were marching forward, and then running, forcing him to collide with another hot, sweaty mess of skin and muscles and soaked basketball jersey that he swung his arms around, holding on, holding him close.</p><p>‘Takao, what-’ Shintarou was cut off with a yelp, scrambling to hold onto Takao’s shoulders as he squeezed tight around his torso, leaning back, back- and then, Shintarou was in the air, held up by Takao’s arms, his entire weight on him, like it had been this whole time, during this match and even before that, ever since Takao decided to get over his jealousy and support him, basically ever since they’ve been playing basketball together.</p><p>And Takao didn’t even know it. He was so preoccupied with admiring Shintarou, that he failed to realize how worthless Shintarou would be without him. He didn’t know, wouldn’t understand how great he was; he just screamed in Shintarou’s ear, his expression one of pure bliss, chin wedged into Shintarou’s chest, and Shintarou couldn’t help holding on, twisting his fingers into dark hair and squeezing, for once in his life wholly giving himself over to uncontrolled, sheer euphoria.</p><p>He knew Takao would be there to catch him when he came down. He knew he’d shake hands with Aomine, and he would offer him a smile and a snarky remark about not letting him win next time, and he knew, most of all, that it would be all right.</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. AoKagaKuro + sharing a bed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kagami found out that he needed to buy an even bigger bed than he already owned, the first time they slept together.</p><p>The actual act of <em>sleeping together </em>was fine. Figuring out where to put their limbs to be entirely comfortable and also to gather enough leverage to get some work done was tricky, but Kuroko was all too eager at directing them, and did a fantastic job orchestrating the whole deal. Everyone was satisfied by the time they finished, gladly taking a few muscle cramps in exchange for the thorough and extremely stimulating lay.</p><p>The other expense of the sex was Kagami’s bedsheets, the soft linen soaked with sweat and fluids, and so he decided to change it while Aomine dragged a very sleepy Kuroko to the bathroom for a shower, the smallest of the bunch obviously disgruntled from being stirred from his half-unconscious state.</p><p>Kagami shook his head at them, a smile spreading on his still-swollen lips as he pulled on somebody’s boxers (it was tight, but Kagami didn’t have it in him to figure out if it was ill-fitting like Aomine’s underwear was on him, or more like the way Kuroko’s was) and dragged the sheets right off his mattress, working to wrestle the bedding off of the pillow and both of the blankets.</p><p>Aomine was the first to return, and he chose this particular moment to show Kagami how stealthy he could be, hooking his fingers under the borrowed underwear from behind, startling him enough to let out a small yelp and drop the clean sheets.</p><p>“Whose is this?” Aomine frowned, struggling to break his hands free from the tightness of the fabric.</p><p>“Kuroko’s, apparently.” Kagami sighed, leaning back against him once he wrapped his arms around his waist and kissed his shoulder. “Wait, I’m still gross.”</p><p>“Why are you wearing Tetsu’s underwear?” he mumbled against his skin, licking a long line into the dip of his spine in protest, tasting salt and sweat and <em>Kagami</em>. “Fuck, I want you again.”</p><p>“Tough luck.” Kagami said, breaking free of his embrace to finish changing his sheets. “I’m not cleaning up again.”</p><p>“Who said you needed to clean up?” Aomine pouted, but quickly gave up once Kuroko joined them, wearing only a towel and snuggling to his side all warm and soft and worn out.</p><p> </p><p>When Kagami returned from his respective shower, he found them lazily kissing on the bed, the tips of Aomine’s fingers gently brushing against Kuroko’s soft hair and Kuroko cupping his jaw with both hands, holding on for dear life. They didn’t stir or stop when he approached, and he didn’t expect them to: seeing them like this was the most genuine display of love Kagami had ever witnessed, and he’d learned to cherish what they had, feeling more than grateful that they were generous enough to share it with him. He knelt on the side of the bed, bending down to mouth at the top of Kuroko’s shoulder, savoring the shudder that rippled through his boyfriend at the touch. Aomine locked eyes with him as he sucked Kuroko’s lower lip into his mouth, swallowing his whine and moving his hand down to slide his fingers through Kagami’s hair.</p><p>“Alright, move, you two.” Kagami mumbled, slapping Kuroko’s backside playfully. He scooted over, bumping into Aomine as he went.</p><p>It took some time to arrange themselves comfortably, pushing Aomine entirely up against the wall twice and almost crushing Kuroko between them as Kagami tried hard to not fall off in the process of rolling around. They finally settled with him and Aomine spread out on the mattress, and Kuroko spreading out on the two of them, tangling three sets of legs and constantly shifting their arms around so that none of theirs would fall asleep later. Kuroko snuggled comfortably into Aomine’s neck, most of his back and shoulder pressing against Kagami, a soothing weight on him.</p><p>“Shit.” Kagami groaned, wiping a palm across his face.</p><p>“What?” Aomine rumbled from deep in his chest.</p><p>“Lights.” he sighed. “Forgot to turn them off.”</p><p>It took them at least ten minutes to finally get it right. “<em>Goddamn it, Kagami</em>.”</p><p>“I need to get up to pee, too.” Kuroko said. He didn’t get cussed at.</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. AoKaga + 'Can I kiss you?'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>i call this one "sometimes i do write soft sappy shit that isn't necessarily established relationship"</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He blinked, slowly, the rest of the court becoming sort of a blur as he tried and failed to focus on the man right in front of him. The sweaty, panting, flustered mess of a gorgeous man.</p><p>‘What.’ he blurted out, elegantly. Kagami apparently took it as an invitation to repeat what he’d said, frying all of Aomine’s braincells a second time around.</p><p><b>‘</b>I said, <b>can I kiss you?’</b></p><p>‘Why’d you wanna kiss me?’</p><p>‘You-  what the fuck,’ Kagami sputtered, his face getting even redder. It was almost matching his hair. ‘why the hell do you think I want to kiss  you?’</p><p>‘Because you’re an idiot?’ Aomine guessed, but the insult  lacked its usual bite. ‘Who knows why you want to do the things you do?’  And then he added, just for good measure: ‘Tomato head.’</p><p>‘Tomato head?’</p><p>‘You’re red all over.’ he pointed out, and he didn’t think it was possible and yet somehow Kagami’s blush still deepened.</p><p>‘I- that- you, shut up!’</p><p>‘You’re the one who’s saying embarrassing shit, but I should be the one to shut up? Look who’s fucking talking.’</p><p>Kagami  wiped at his burning face, his hand coming to rest at his overheated cheek. He looked at Aomine, confused and curious and exasperated at the same time. That’s some inner turmoil for sure. ‘You didn’t say no, though.’</p><p>‘And that means I’m saying yes?’</p><p>‘I’m not implying anything.’ Kagami said, defensive. Aomine outright scoffed at that.</p><p>‘Isn’t a kiss implying something? Moron.’</p><p>‘So you don’t want to do it?’</p><p>‘Quit giving my answers for me, goddamn it.’</p><p>‘Then start giving me an answer, goddamn it.’</p><p>They both huffed out a harsh breath at the same time, glaring at each other as if they were challenged; which, frankly, might’ve been a case with them. Their entire relationship seemed to be one challenge after another, from basketball to eating contests and sometimes even standing off in being a good friend for Kuroko. Tetsu’d only sighed at their endeavors, labeling them whatever demeaning word he’d been favoring that day regarding their intellect or temper, but for the most part, he went along.</p><p>The world always went along for their competition. It was their whole thing, fighting and then fighting over fighting and then fighting a little more over the outcome of the fight. Aomine wondered why they’d even put up with each other, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, trying to prevent an oncoming headache.</p><p>‘Why would you want to kiss me?’ he asked, the frustration and the challenge from his voice gone with the slight spring breeze. He looked at Kagami, relieved that he’d seemed to take his question seriously now.</p><p>‘You’re not that dumb, are you?’ <em>Seemed.</em></p><p>‘I don’t fucking know, am I?’ Aomine barked, throwing his hands up. ‘What kind of question is that, anyway?’</p><p>‘It’s a normal question!’</p><p>‘The hell it is! Give me time to process, will you?!’</p><p>Well, that seemed to shut him up. Kagami dropped his hands to his sides, loosely closing his fists, his expression softening to one of worry instead of irritation. He looked at Aomine like…. like he usually looks at Aomine, but this time, he kind of looked at him like he hung the moon, too. It made something flutter deep down in his stomach, and Aomine felt the heat grow in his cheeks and creep down his neck.</p><p>‘No.’</p><p>‘No?’</p><p>‘No, you can’t kiss me.’ Aomine murmured, brushing his fingers against his mouth, his mind immediately going to the imaginary feeling of Kagami’s lips replacing them. ‘Not yet. I want to be ready for that, you know?’</p><p>Kagami blinked at him for a minute, silent. Then a grin spread across his face, bright and careless and happy, as he walked over and threw an arm around Aomine’s shoulders in the purest display of his affection.</p><p>‘You goof,’ he chuckled. ‘get back to me soon, okay?’</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. MidoTaka + punctual</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>tw: mentions of depression and suicide</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>‘Are you never actually going to be on time?’ Midorima asked, his voice tight and his eyes narrowed. Takao just laughed easily, sounding entirely too amused by his friend’s annoyance, always, always amused by him. He wrapped an arm around Midorima’s neck, lifting onto his tiptoes so he could press a kiss to Midorima’s cheek. ‘I’ve been waiting for twenty three minutes.’</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘It’s not my fault.’ Takao complained, but didn’t actually elaborate on whose fault it was instead. No, he wasn’t really one for excuses.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘I’d be surprised if you were punctual on your funeral.’ he said coldly, sliding taped fingers between Takao’s own, warm ones.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>‘Meanie!’</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Midorima hadn’t worn tapes in three weeks now.</p><p>There wasn’t a point for them anyway. He was done with basketball, and submitting to the comfort of feeling them around his fingers would only bring more sorrow into his heart: he wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about Takao’s fingers idly picking at them until he swatted his hand away.</p><p>He won’t get a chance to slap those hands ever again.</p><p>The tie he’s wearing belongs to his father. The ones he owns are all designed to fit children, or they’re the ones he bought with Takao with engagement in mind, and it hurts too much to even think of them. Nimble, naked fingers swiftly fold the material hanging in front of his shirt, beautifully ironed, impeccable as ever. Hollow eyes stare in the mirror, his own pale face adding to the haunting.</p><p>Takao’s dad picks him up. It’s not like Midorima couldn’t drive himself, but the man insisted to escort him, knowing how close the two of them were. Part of Midorima thinks it’s humiliating, and frankly he would be fine without the added pressure of the long, loaded silence that had fallen over them for the entirety of the car ride, but he has more decency than to refuse the request of a mourning parent.</p><p>Takao’s father pulls over before they’d reach the site. He turns the engine off, and prepares to speak, but he doesn’t look at Midorima. Midorima, on the other hand, studies him: his brown eyes that are unlike Takao’s, the more familiar black locks of hair, the laugh lines engraved so deeply in his almost youthful face that they’re visible even with the concerned expression he’s wearing now, perpetually reminding Midorima of Takao’s easy laughs.</p><p>‘Did you know, Shintarou-kun?’ he asks, his gaze fixed on the top of the steering wheel, his teeth worrying his lower lip. ‘Did you know he was depressed?’</p><p>Midorima’s hand twitches. ‘No. I had no idea.’</p><p>‘Oh god.’ Takao’s dad sobs, his voice breaking. ‘Where- where did I go so wrong? What did I do to make my precious son… my only son so closed off, so sad…’</p><p>Midorima shuts his eyes. He’s unable to watch him cry, but the sound of it still tears into his heart.</p><p> </p><p>There’s a traffic that day. The hearse is late.</p><p>Standing in the weak autumn sunlight, Midorima chuckles to himself. To his own ears, it sounds like he’s already crying. Maybe he is; he hadn’t been able to tell in this past weeks when his tears started to fall.</p><p>Takao isn’t even punctual for his own funeral.</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. KiseKuro + the biggest, warmest hugs & peppering their face in kisses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="response">
  <p>[5:23] “i am so, so sorry Kurokocchi ˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )‧º·˚ i’m working until late, can you get a taxi?"</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Tetsuya read the message for what was the third, but seemed like the twentieth time, and no, it didn’t get any less unnecessarily hurtful. It was foolish of him to think that Kise could make time for him in his packed schedule on such short notice, and he swore he tried not to be too broken up about it, but he found that it took him at least a few minutes too long to actually move from where he was seated on the long hall of the airport.</p>
  <p>He tried to focus on the soft hum of his luggage rolling on its small wheels, thought about how nice it was to see Kagami-kun and how well he was doing. The trip itself was too nice to start being miserable now; the LA sun had given him a slight, yet not unwelcome tan, and they got to play streetball with a few locals whose skills and stamina were on pair with Tetsuya’s former partner’s.</p>
  <p>He smiled to himself, the memories taking him back. He’d imagined how nice it would’ve been if Kise could come with him to that California beach they’d been lounging on every afternoon. His hair would be probably all matted down from the water, since he’d immediately take a dive in the ocean, his skin would get pink and then bronze from the sun, his ropey muscles enticingly out in the open like that, the shine of his earring bright, but his huge grin even brighter than that.</p>
  <p>And just like that, Kise’d creeped back into his thoughts. Tetsuya sighed to himself, getting into the cab: he was well and truly a hopeless cause.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>It was the soft knocking on the doorframe that had woken him from his jet lag induced slumber. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking into the darkness and turning his head to where light was flooding into the room through the open door. Kise looked back at him with one of his gentle, apologetic smiles.</p>
  <p>‘Good morning, sunshine.’ he whispered, sneaking into the room and closing the door behind him, leaving them in the dark again. Tetsuya hummed, his face still buried in Kise’s pillow, chasing his scent in his half-asleep state that was devout of any feelings of shame. 'Are you mad at me?’</p>
  <p>'I’m sorry, I fell into bed in my clothes.’ Tetsuya mumbled, turning just slightly with the dip of Kise’s weight on the side of the mattress. Kise chuckled to himself, reaching out to stroke Tetsuya’s hair softly.</p>
  <p>'It’s fine, I was going to change the sheets anyway.’ he said, resting his forearm on Tetsuya’s shoulder. Tetsuya thought about it for a second… or maybe, he didn’t think at all. Anyhow, one moment he reached up to tug on Kise’s arm, a silent invitation, the next Kise was taking him up for it, draping himself over Tetsuya, wrapping his long arms around his small frame and squeezing tight, the scent that Tetsuya was so desperately chasing filling his nostrils, the weight and the warmth so familiar and comforting that it almost put him right back to sleep.</p>
  <p>Almost. Except, Kise was now kissing him, across the top of his head, along his hairline, his forehead, his cheek, everywhere he could reach.</p>
  <p>'I missed you so much, Kurokocchi,’ he sighed into his ear, the warm huff of breath sending shivers down Tetsuya’s spine. He reached up to wrap his hands around Kise’s shoulders, holding him close, listening to the hitch in his breath when his mouth found the side of his neck, soon burying his nose into the tender skin.</p>
  <p>'I missed you too, Ryouta-kun.’ Tetsuya whispered, twisting his arms around Kise’s neck and tugging him down to kiss his stupid mouth.</p>
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